umsgheid



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l. J. W. UMSGHED 8L C. H. KLUTB. RAILROADSWITCH. No. 531,983. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

/N VENTHS ATTORNEYS.

m n m mm. -S m Wl TNESSES (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. JQW. UMSCHEID SzC. H; KLUTE. RAILRAD SWITCH. No. 531,983. Patented Jan l, l8 95 (NoModel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. W. UMSCHEID & C. H. KLUTE.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

D... /c/ 4 f Wl TNESSES A TTOHNE YS.

i nected with the slide bar.

UNITED STATESv PATENT muon.

JOHN lV. UMSOHEID AND CHARLES H. KLUTE, OF UNION HILL, NEV JERSEY.; SAIDKLUTE ASSIGNOR TO SAID UMSOHEID.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,983, dated January1, 18 95.

Application filed February 13, 1894; Serial No. 500.067. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN W. UMscHnID and CHARLES H. KLUTE, of UnionHill, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and Improved Railroad- Switch, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to improvements in railroad switches; and theobject of our invention is to produce a switch and working mechanismtherewith which may be conveniently operated from a passing train, alsoto provide working mechanism which may be operatively connectedwith anumber of switch points to turn them, which may be made to turn eitherswitch point at the discrimination of the operator on the train, whichhas its mechanism arranged in such a manner that it cannot becomecloggedand inoperative, and which is durable and little likely to get out ofrepair.

To these ends our invention consists of certain features of constructionand combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described andclaimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, of ourimproved switch-working mechanism. Fig. 2 isa plan view of a doubleswitch, provided with our improved switch-working mechanism. Fig. 3 isan inverted plan of the switch-working mechanism. Fig. l is a crosssection on the line ft-et of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross section on theline 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is adetail side elevation of a portion of theswitch-working mechanism, showing particularly one of the cam levers andits connection with the adjacent slide bar. Fig. 7 isa sectional plan onthe 1ine7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 ofFig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged inverted plan of the slide bar for movingone of the switch points and the rod con- Fig. 10, is a vertical sectionon the line 10--10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a vertical section on the line11-11 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a broken sectional elcvation of one 0Ethe switch points, showing the manner in which it is hung.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the main line 10 is connected with the twosidings 1l and 12 -by the ordinary switch points 13, and the mechanismfor working the switch points is illustrated as operatively connectedwith both, but other switch points may be used in connection with othersidings if necessary or desirable, as will be hereinafter explained.

The switch points are arranged in the usual manner and are like theordinary switch points, except in the manner in which they arejournaled, as will appear below. The mechanism for working the switchpoints is contained in a recess 14 below the track, the top of thisrecess being covered bya plate 15 on which the switch points swing. Theplate 15 is slotted longitudinally, as shown at 16, and extendinglongitudinally of the slot is a bar 17 which is pointed at the ends inorder that the plungers or contact arms 18 only one of which is shown inthe drawings may readily slide to one side of the bar without danger ofbeing brought into contact with either end of it. At one end of the slot16 is au inclined plate 18 which causes the plungers or arms 1S to beautomatically pushed upward and out of the slot when they strike it. W'ehave illustrated a plunger 18 extending downward through the slot 16 towork the mechanism, as hereinafter described,two of these plungers beingused so that one can enter either side of the slot, and as shown theplungers 1S are held in a guide 19 on a bracket 2O which is suspendedbeneath the car 2l, the plungers being each connected by means of a link22, bell crank 23, and pitman 2i with a treadle lever 25 which isdepressed to actuate the plunger and which is held normally raised by aspring 26. This mechanism for Working the plunger or contact arm is notshown or described with great detail, because any suitable mechanism mayhe used instead of the arms 18, as illustrated.

The arms 18 are adapted to strike, when depressed, the curved cam arms27, which are arranged with their convex sides up and beneath the slot16 on opposite sides of the bar 17. These cam arms are, at one end,jour- ICO naled loosely on a shaft 28 which extends transversely through,a casing 29 which incloses the cam arms, and the free ends of the camarms extend through anl opening 30 in one end of the casing 29 and reston the inner ends 31 of the cam levers 32, which levers are arrangedtransversely in the recess 14 and fulcrumed near the center on a bracket33 which depends from the plate 15, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 4.

The inner ends 31 of the cam levers 32 are rounded on the side next thecasing 29, as shown at 34 in Fig. l, so as to readily engage the roller35 which is journaled on the end of a slide bar 36, this bar beingmovable longitudinally through a slideway 37 beneath the casing 29, andthe roller moves over an abutment 38 beneath the front end of the casing29, which abutment forms part of a transversely moving slide which willbe described below; and it will be seen that by pushing the slide bar 36forward the roller 35, striking the inner rounded end of which ever camlever 32 is depressed, will lift the `said lever to the level of theother and cause the said levers to be held ina central position, thuscentering the switch points which are connected with the levers, as willappear from the description to follow. It will thus be seen that whilethe slide 36 and its roller 35 will raise whichever cam lever isdepressed, so as to bring the levers and the cam arms 27 to a centralposition, yet since a cam arm 27 engages each cam lever the depressionof one of the cam arms will move but one lever, and consequently throwthe switch to one side.

The slide bar 36 is secured to an arm 39 by means of a screw 40, or itsequivalent, this being adapted to slide in a slot 41 in the under sideof the slideway 37, see Fig. 1, and the outer end of the arm 39 ispivoted to a support, as shown at 42 in Fig. 3, and secured to the armis a spring 43 which is also secured to one of the brackets 44, and thetension of the spring is such as to normally retract the bar 36 and keepthe roller 35 from beneath the cam levers 32. The outer end of the slidebar 36 is forked, as shown at 45 in Figs. 1 and 3, and a bolt 46 extendsthrough this forked end of the slide bar and through a cam slot 47 inone end of the centering lever 48, which is fulcrumed at 48a between thebrackets 44 and has a curved end portion 49 which extends beneath theslot 16, this end ofthe centering lever being wide enough to extend oneach side of the guide bar 17. l

It will be seen that when either plunger or arm 18 is depressed to worka switch, the centering lever is first struck and depressedso that theswitches are rst centered, and the depression of the upper end of ythelever throws the lower end forward and the lower wall of the cam slot47, striking the bolt 46, pushes the slide bar 36 forward so that theroller 35 raises the inner end of the depressed cam lever 32 and centersthe switch, as will appear below, The outer ends of the levers 32 arecurved upward and slotted longitudinally, as shown at 50, and theseslots receive the bolts 5l which connect with a transversely movingslide 52, and the bolts at the points where they enter the slots 50, areprovided with rollers 53 to guard against excessive friction.

The slide 52 moves in aslideway formed bybrackets 54, which are securedto the hanger 29forming the front end ofthe casing 29, and the bolts 51are held to move iu slots 55 of a guide plate 56, which is secured toone side of the hanger 29, and this arrangement causes the slide 52 tobe moved accurately when either of the cam levers 32 are tilted. Theslide 52 has secured to it, near opposite ends, up wardly-extendingposts 57 which are rigidly attached to the slide and move with itthrough slots 58 in the hanger 29a, and the upper end of one postprojects through a slot 59in the plate 15 and is clamped, near thepoint, to a tongue or point 13, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that themoving of the slide shifts the switch point. The opposite post 57 doesnot extend quite to the plate 15, and it has secured to itnear the topau arm 60 which projects parallel with the track and beneath the plate15, this arm being secured to a slide bar 63 by means of a bolt 62 whichprojects up through the slide bar and througha slot 64in the plate 15,see Figs. 1 and 10, and the bolt 62 is, at its upper end,tulcrumed tothe other switch point 13.

The slide bar 63 moves in suitable hangers 65 and is arranged parallelwith the slide 52, and consequently when the slide is moved it carriesthe arm 60 and slide bar 63 with it and throws the switch point. It willthus be seen that the movement of the slide 52 throws both switch points13, and consequently if the slide is held in a central position theswitch points will both be held centrally so as to open the main line,while if thrown farther to one side it opens the switch to the siding 11and if moved in the other direction,itopens the switch to the siding 12.

The slide 52 is shown connected with two switch points, as described, soas to simultaneously operate them, and it will be understood that bymeans of several arms 60 and slide bars 63 other switch points fartheraway from the slide may be operated in exactly the manner alreadydescribed.

To insure easy movement of the switch points, each is provided on itsunder side and at its wider end, with a socket 66, and a plate 67 which.is secured to the under side by means of screws 68 or equivalentfasteuings, the plate being also socketed to form a continuation of thesocket 66, and this socket is adapted to receivethe ball shaped head 70of a bolt 69 which projectsthrough the plate 15 :and is held in place bya nut 71 and a suitable washer.

The .switch mechanism is operated as fol- IOO IIO

lows-When the train approaches the switch,

l n Y- Y arms 18, according to which siding he desires to take, and thearm first strikes the lever 4S tilting the lever, actuating the slidebar 36 as described, and throwing the slide 5 52 and switch points 13into a central position, after which the arm 18 strikes one of the camarms 27 which tilts but one of the levers 32, and this throws the slide52 to one side, actuating the switch as specied. If ro the switch isopen to either siding and it is desired to keep the train on the mainline, either arm 18 is depressed so as to actnate the lever a8 andcenter the switch points, after which the pressure on the arm 18 is rer5 moved so that the arm springs up before striking either of the camarms 27.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent l. The combination, with the switch pointhaving a socket in its under side and the bed plate on which the switchpoint rests, of a bolt heldin the bed plate and provided with a ballshaped head to enter the socket of the switch point, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with the switch points, of pivoted levers,connections between the said levers and the switch points, and swingingarms for engaging the levers,substantiall y as described.

8. The combination with the switch points, of a transverse sliding barconnected with the switch points, pivoted levers connected with thesliding bar, and swinging arms engaging 3 5 the said levers,substantially as described.

4. The combination with the switch points, and the slotted bed plate, ofa vertically tilting lever beneath the bed plate, a transverse slideoperatively connected with the switch points, pivoted levers connectedwith said slide, swinging arms for operating the pivoted levers, and aslide bar actuated by the tilting lever and adapted to engage thepivoted levers, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the switch peints, and pivoted levers foroperating the said points, of a swinging lever, and a sliding barconnected with the said lever and engaging the pivoted levers,substantially as and for the 5o purpose Set forth.

d. The combination, with the switch points and the slotted bed plate, ofthe laterally movable slide operatively connected with the switchpoints, a pair of cam levers connected with opposite end portions of theslide to move 5 5 the same, a slide bar arranged to actuate the camlevers simultaneously, and a tilting centering lever mounted beneath theslot in the bed plate and operatively connected with the slide bar tomove it,substantially as described.

7. The combination,with the tilting cam levers operatively connectedwith the switch points to move them and having rounded inner ends, ofthe slide bar having a roller to contact with the rounded ends of thecam lever, the slotted bed plate, and the centering lever arrangedbeneath the bed plate and adapted to actuate the slide bar,substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the switch points and the slotted bed plate, ofa centering lever arranged beneath the slot in the bed plate mechanismactuated by the centering lever to simultaneously move the switchpoints, a pair of independent contact cam levers arranged beneath theslot in the bed plate, and mechanism actuated by the tilting of the camarms to move the switch points, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the switch points and the slotted bed plate, otthe transversely movable slide beneath the bed plate, cam levers pivotedadjacent to the slide and connected therewith to move it in oppositedirections, a connection between the slide and the 8 5 switch points,and a pair of cam arms hung beneath the slot in the bed plate andconnected with the cam levers to tilt them, substantially as described.

l0. The combination, of the transversely movable slide, the cam leverspivoted adjacent thereto and provided with cam slots, bolts connectingthe slide with the cam lever, and a slotted guide plate held rigidly toa support and arranged to guide the bolts ofthe g5 slide, substantiallyas described.

JOHN WQ UMSGHEID. CHARLES H. KLUTE.

Vtitnesses WARREN B. HUToHINsoN, C. SEDGWICK.

